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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by David Freudenthal, Director of Government Relations at Carnegie Hall
3:58:54
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145 sec
David Freudenthal from Carnegie Hall testifies in support of increasing the cultural affairs budget to $75 million, emphasizing the importance of cultural institutions to New York City. He acknowledges the $45 million baseline increase while urging for an additional $30 million to reach the full requested amount.
- Highlights Carnegie Hall's work with city human services agencies and the impact of arts on building stronger communities
- Discusses challenges faced by cultural institutions, including federal funding cuts of about $1.7 million for Carnegie Hall
- Expresses gratitude for the City Council's consistent support of cultural institutions and requests help in securing the additional funding
David Freudenthal
3:58:54
Chair Brannan, chair Rivera, council member Brewer, thank thanks all for the opportunity to testify.
3:58:59
I'm David Freudendalff from Carnegie Hall.
3:59:02
I'm here to, reinforce and uplift the, support of the field on behalf of 75 to to to, to ask for $75,000,000 to be baselined in the cultural affairs budget this year.
3:59:19
We are thrilled.
3:59:21
We join our colleagues in our in our great happiness in the inclusion, the the baselining of $45,000,000.
3:59:29
This year's budget is an historic move, but the work is not done.
3:59:33
And we we urge the council to partner with the administration to get us to that that that last leg to get us there.
3:59:42
So important.
3:59:43
You all know the the value of what culture does, how essential it is to our city.
3:59:48
I don't need to repeat those words that that have been said.
3:59:50
I'm I'm glad to give some examples of some of the things that Carnegie Hall does in this space and to speak about some of the pressures that we have experienced here that demonstrate the challenges that the field as a whole has seen.
4:00:06
I I also will take this opportunity to uplift Carnegie Hall's own request before the council around our work with the city's human services agencies, which I think is extremely typical of the way that CIGS and the cultural community really leans in to support New Yorkers and the way that arts, in our case music, can be an essential piece of building stronger communities, better lives for New Yorkers, especially those in the most challenging circumstances.
4:00:42
I'm sure that my colleagues have spoken to the challenges that the city is facing, that we as cultural institutions are facing around these federal cuts for Carnegie Hall.
4:00:52
There's about a million seven that we've already lost or is significantly at risk.
4:00:58
The challenges are real, and we have you have always you, the council, have always been in culture's corner.
4:01:06
It's fantastic the administration has done what it's done.
4:01:09
You know, you have been ever fighting for us, and we're so grateful for all you've done, and we ask your help to get us to this last mile.